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Ok so after a year of the boat sitting in the hanger and not moving I finally started my winter boat project to get her up and running for the spring. It felt good to work on her all day. This is the list of items for this winter (probably making up for not doing a winter project last year)

2 D31M Optima batteries mounted in the bow. previous batteries were in the laz and with a 9.9 yamaha 4 stroke it made the boat stern heavy. This should help balance her out. Today I was able to run the battery wire from the stern to the bow. I have the battery hold downs ready to bond down, will wait until the batteries show up this week. Two 100A current limiters located at the batteries and an battery combiner.

Had a gate project this year at the house ended up with a 20W 24 volt solar panel that I did not need. Converted it to 12V and will install on the stern rails over the engine.

New compass installed today and wires run for lighting.


I got a good deal on two block for a boom vang from Defender $50 for one and $30 for the other one. (check out the clearance section) Once the got here I realized they were better than my main sheet blocks, so main sheet blocks up to the boom vang and new blocks on the main sheet.

Ordered Boom Kicker today. I have been sailing on a Sonar 23 and a MacGreggor 26D with one. Did not realize how nice it is to drop the main and not have the boom fall into the cockpit.

Getting ready to order new sails. Full roach main (will have to put lift on backstay). New Asym spinnaker to fit my 2ft bow sprit and block above head stay. With the measurements I gave the sail maker spin will be 505 sq feet. Should be great performance but I am sure I will be putting it away somewhere around white caps.

Think I got a good line on a used 150 genny.

Still looking for a good 110% deck sweeper.

Will be buffing out the Bottom VC performance epoxy with 600 grit.

After all this hope I still have money left over to take her out

Had a good year off dong some major projects on the house and racing on friends boats, but feels really good to be getting her ready for the spring. Cant Wait!

Very nice! You're making me feel like a bit of a slacker LOL! I'm about to finish my last remaining cabin cushion and lay a new faux walnut plank sole. Then I will tackle a new forestay (nothing wrong with the old one, just feel the need to replace it. Its getting old like me).

Grady, reading your post I am now getting this tingling feeling of anticipation in my fingers ! Time to continue with the refit on "Rockhopper" - it's been too cold and snowy over the last weeks here to get anything done and the deadline for the tax declaration is getting dangerously near . Your projects sound very interesting. I am particularly intrigued by the idea to mount the solar panels on the stern rails. Where did you get the bowsprit from ? Please post lots of pictures as you progress !

Another good day, 8 hours at the hanger 2 beers and 1 greasy lunch at the airport restaurant.

Completed install of solar panel.


Change out main sheet blocks.


Was able to take pictures of mast bend for sail maker.

Have everything ready to mount batteries and crimp ends on wires.

I thought I posted pictures of my bow sprit but could not find one. Here are some pictures from concept to finished product.

How do you like that compass location? I've got the same compass, but have not yet mounted it for lack of a great place to put it. I'm pretty much settled on the STBD cockpit forward bulkhead right below the winch, because there's an access hatch behind it.

Hey nice boat, dumb question, is a bow sprit necassary to use spinnaker? Are there other reasons you installed one.
BTW Is that bonanza I see there? I fly a 182 right now.

Nice job on the sprit Grady– looks like it belongs on the boat.

Is the Bonanza yours? Nice too!

Mastreb - I was surprised by the magnetic deviation at the helm position for the compass (way beyond the range that I believe I can, or want, to adjust the screws to swing it). Lots of metal there.

I temporarily mounted my (view from the top) compass in a piece of heavy-wall black ABS pipe, cut at an angle, and placed rubber feet on it. Now I’ve been placing it on either side of the cockpit seat where there is no metal nearby, or noticeable variation, with the lubber line aligned with the boat’s axis.

This has been so practical and versatile that I’m considering not mounting it permanently at all. And it just locks up below for security and UV protection.

-Brian.

BTW Grady -- Found your mod pix...

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1379

-B.

mastreb wrote:How do you like that compass location? I've got the same compass, but have not yet mounted it for lack of a great place to put it. I'm pretty much settled on the STBD cockpit forward bulkhead right below the winch, because there's an access hatch behind it.

I will let you know, The D model I sail on has his there and seems to work really good

Skysail wrote:Hey nice boat, dumb question, is a bow sprit necassary to use spinnaker? Are there other reasons you installed one.
BTW Is that bonanza I see there? I fly a 182 right now.

Not necessary but it helps get it a little farther fwd to keep it in clean air. Not my bonanza but I get to fly it whenever I want.

My airplane is a project airplane right now, sitting next to the boat waiting on time and money. I have about 150 hours in it. Too bad it was left outside for the last 10 years and not flown. I rescued it this year, someone wanted to pay my ex-mother in-law $3k for it and weld it to a pole at a gas station. That would have been a horrible death. The engine runs fine just needs the tail recovered, new prop cleaned up and everything checked. The wing are Cessna 150 wing they got hail damaged but are still good for flying.

seahouse wrote:BTW Grady -- Found your mod pix...

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/modt/in ... ?view=1379

-B.

Oh imagine that I put it in the mod section who would of thought

Grady, could you explain your battery mount in detail? What are the items in front of the trays? I'm in the process of a bow mounting for the house batteries and would like to know your set up. Looks great. Thanks

Just came in. I think I will have plenty of power.

Sailing Virginia wrote:Grady, could you explain your battery mount in detail? What are the items in front of the trays? I'm in the process of a bow mounting for the house batteries and would like to know your set up. Looks great. Thanks

Two batteries are screwed down to wood 1x's. The wood is painted now. It will be bonded down to the bottom of the boat. I did not want to screw into the ballast tank for obvious reasons. In the middle is a battery combiner so I do not have to worry about switching to both when the motor is running and then back off when I shut down. On ether side is a 100A limiter just incase bad things happen. I do not like fires on the boat no mater how cold it gets.

This is my concept drawing

Thanks...looks great!

Great looking bowsprit ! You are doing a great job on your "classic". Do you plan to box the batteries in ?

I Love the bowsprit have you thought about a figurehead? I know it sounds crazy but I have been looking for a mermaid to mount on my X. Finding the perfect size is the problem I may end up sculpting my own out of Plastic Clay.